


Curious

by GingerEl



Series: NyxNoct Week 2020 [1]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: First Meetings, Flirting, Getting to Know Each Other, M/M, Minor Prompto Argentum/Ignis Scientia, Mutual Pining, Non-Excessive Alcohol Consumption, Nyx has a Cat, Pining, Pre-Relationship, Unexpected Connections, Warping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-26
Updated: 2020-09-26
Packaged: 2021-03-07 17:47:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26661664
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GingerEl/pseuds/GingerEl
Summary: At face value there’s nothing there other than a long glance across a training hall, a mutual but shallow admiration for one another’s forms.“You play King’s Knight?” Noct blurts, questioning Nyx.Nyx raises his eyebrows, “What? You think I’m too old?”“No,” Noct hastens to answer, “You’re not old at all, I just -”Nyx grins and Noct just doesn’t know what to do anymore.Alternatively: Nyx and Noct have never had the chance to really interact before but it turns out they have more in common than liking how the other looks.NyxNoct Week 2020 Day 1: First meetings + Unexpected connection
Relationships: Noctis Lucis Caelum/Nyx Ulric
Series: NyxNoct Week 2020 [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1939906
Comments: 15
Kudos: 61
Collections: NyxNoct Week 2020





	Curious

**Author's Note:**

> AU where nothing bad ever happens because I said so.  
> Disclaimer: I think I misunderstand how warping works and I know I play fast and lose with the way the magic does. I'm sorry but also not.

Nyx has made a career on being stealthy.

Mostly.

His career is actually based on his completely reckless ability to throw himself into a deadly situation without considering the consequences for even _one_ second but somehow always getting out of it on the other side whole and healthy.

But also.

He knows how to be quiet.

He knows how to sneak into a training room that all his friends are giving a wide berth because the Prince of Lucis is currently inside practising his warping. He knows how to hover unobtrusively so he has a front row seat to the prince trying over and _over_ again with a palpable and sweeping sense of frustration that Nyx can almost _feel_ in the magic surrounding him.

The prince throws his short training sword and both it and him vanish in a _crack_ of blue light. The sword materialises first, half wedged into the edge of the platform Noctis had been aiming for and Nyx is wincing even before the Prince reappears with hand around the hilt. He hangs there, looking slender and delicate and surprisingly soft, for a full half second before the sword slips free of it’s tentative hold and it drops Noctis straight onto the ground.

Lucky the room is littered with training mats.

That was better than last time at least, Nyx thinks as Noctis pulls himself to his feet with a frustrated groan.

Since Nyx has been watching Prince Noctis has overshot a dagger lodged in the ground and warped himself straight into the wall behind it and thrown a sword with no magical intent behind it so it had simply clattered onto the mats below just a half dozen feet away.

He did successfully warp himself to target _and_ stick the landing a little while ago. But he’d clearly been so happy with himself he’d lost concentration and accidentally - Nyx guesses - dismissed his weapon and well. This is not the first time Noctis has been picking himself up from the mats today.

Nyx can understand his frustration with not being able to get this right. Prince Noctis had taken to phasing like a _dream_. Nyx has watched him spar with his Shield _and_ his Adviser, disappearing in shimmers of blue magic to escape each and everyone one of their blows.

And Ignis is _fast_ , Nyx knows first hand.

Prince Noctis strides over to his sword but rather than pick it up he kicks it and it skitters away across the mat.

“You’re thinking too hard,” Nyx calls without thinking about it, “Either that or you're scared.”

Prince Noctis jumps and a second weapon, real and glinting under the lights, materialises in his right hand.

Nyx holds up his hands beseechingly and takes a step away from the wall, walking closer to the prince so he's more easily in view.

The flash as the weapon vanishes again lights up the truly charming blush creeping high across his cheekbones.

“I’m not scared,” the Prince says bitterly.

“Must be the thinking too hard thing then,” Nyx says, “Your Highness.”

The prince rolls his eyes and mutters, “Just call me Noctis. Hate all that _bullshit_.”

Noctis turns away to go and retrieve the fallen practice blade, dismissing it back to the ether almost the moment his fingers brush against it.

“Noctis then,” Nyx says, smiling to himself, “I’m -”

“Nyx Ulric,” Noctis says and when he turns back around the blush has deepened. Nyx likes the way it looks on him.

Nyx thinks he'd like the way pretty much everything looks on him.

Which is a dangerous thought to have.

“I know who you are,” Noctis tells him then falls over himself stuttering in a way a twenty year with formal debate training shouldn’t, “I mean - because you’re the _Hero_ right - I mean,” Noctis pauses to take a deep breath, “You’re one of our most valuable Kingsglaive soldiers.”

“So you’re a _fan_?” Nyx teases.

He knows it’s a dumb idea, he shouldn’t be attempting this familiarity with the prince, shouldn’t be attempting to _flirt_ with him certainly. But he’s so _cute_ and awkward and its been a while now since Nyx has been able to keep his eyes off of him when he’s within sight.

“Shut up,” Noctis snaps but there’s a little grin pulling up one side of his mouth.

Nyx gives him a more honest smile and Noctis ducks his head a little. Suddenly Noctis summons a set of daggers into his hands, more ornamental than anything and tosses one in the air, catching it deftly by the handle.

“How do I think less hard then?” Noctis asks him - almost _challenges_.

Nyx smirks and call forth his own kukris. Without _thinking to hard_ about it he tosses one up to where Noctis had been trying to warp before, calling forth the magic that Nyx is gifted through _Noctis'_ own bloodline and following after it. Nyx lands easily - he’s _good_ at magic, took to it maybe the best of all his friends. Libertus still feels queasy any time he warps and Luche _never_ got the hand of harnessing fire in his hands.

“Right,” Noct says from below, single word steeped in sarcasm.

“Just do it,” Nyx calls.

Noctis jogs back a dozen steps and then raises his arm, taking careful aim.

“Nope,” Nyx tells him, “Thinking too hard.”

Noctis drops his arm and Nyx thinks he might be glaring up at him from under the dark curtain of his hair.

“You’ve got to _feel_ it,” Nyx says, “You know you _can_. Stop worrying about it.”

A dagger thunks into the wall just beside his arm and Nyx scoots himself out of the way in time for the Prince of Lucis to materialise in the space he'd just occupied, landing clean but perhaps a little unsteady.

“Told you,” Nyx teases.

Noctis laughs, a light noise that Nyx knows he wants to hear again and again _and again_.

Nyx swings his legs over the edge of the platform and sits there, surveying the rest of the room, the obstacles strategically placed around the large space. Wide flat platforms, tall poles, short mounds of mats.

Noctis copies him, sitting down with just a few inches between their legs.

“You’re literally _made_ of magic, y’know,” Nyx says, “You gotta remember that. The rest of us can only use it because you and your Dad let us.”

Noctis nods, then laughs quietly and says, “Maybe it doesn’t like me.”

“I doubt it,” Nyx says easily.

Noctis looks at him for a long minute, eyes taking in the entirety of his face. Nyx suddenly wishes he’d bothered to trim his beard this morning.

Nyx clears his throat and looks away, feeling a stirring of _something_ in his chest. Raising up his left hand he summons a small ball of fire into his palm, swirling red and orange flames.

Noctis looks down at that instead and after a beat of hesitation raises his own hand. Slowly a shimmering ball of ice magic grows in his hold, expanding from the size of a pea out to the size of a tennis ball. As Nyx looks at it the colour changes, swirling with dark purple until its crackling, alive with electricity.

Nyx is already impressed but after another minute where Noctis glares down at his own hand the ball starts to change again, red licking up the sides until the whole thing is waving burgundy flames, blistering hot against the side of Nyx’s hand.

“See,” he tells Noctis, “Magic.”

\- - -

“Dude, I’m _beat_ ,” Prompto complains as he grabs a tray off the pile, “You eating?”

Noct shakes his head and then says, “Grab me some fries though.”

He ignores the way Prompto rolls his eyes. Noct’s a simple man; he sees fried sticks of potato when Ignis isn't around to stop him and he eats them.

Thankfully most of the Crownsguard and Kingsglaive are used to him wandering around by now so the amount of heads that turn in his direction are minimal and Noct thinks he’ll actually be able to _enjoy_ keeping his friend company during his lunch break for a change.

“You better get some energy from somewhere,” Noct tells Prompto, “You’ve got training with Ignis after this.”

“I know,” Prompto says and Noct watches his cheeks tinge a little pink.

Prompto selects some food for himself - a sandwich, a fruit cup and a bottle of juice - the same healthy nonsense Prom’s always making himself eat and rolls his eyes when Noct adds a soda for himself. When they pass the hot bar Prompto crabs a container of fries and Noct swipes one of onion rings too, wedging it into the remaining space with some difficulty.

Prompto looks at him flatly and Noct reminds him, “It’s not like your paying for it.”

The lunch rush is only just dying down so they’ve no chance to a table by themselves but he follows Prompto as he leads the way down the centre of the room, stopping at a table with just two Crownsguard recruits Noct doesn’t recognise at one end. They notice Noct of course, but seem to not realise Prompto exists at all which means the girls are either not in Prom’s training group or they’re assholes. Either way Noct’s not really in the mood for making polite conversation with them.

As Noct slides onto the bench opposite his friend he happens to look to the table besides theirs and almost immediately catches Nyx Ulric’s gaze.

Sitting just four feet away with an almost empty tray before him and his phone clutched loosely in his hold.

Nyx is _staring_ at him but it's not the normal type of stare that makes him want to curl up and hide. This one makes him feel all warm in his chest, shy but not uncomfortable.

Well, his palms feel a bit clammy and that _is_ uncomfortable he supposes.

Noct looks away quickly, barely catching the smile Nyx offers him and feels his shyness turn to a full red flush in two seconds flat.

“You okay, dude?” Prompto asks him, pausing as he divides their food.

“Fine,” Noct says, voice cracking embarrassingly, unable to make eye contact with Prompto either.

 _Get it together_ , he berates himself. _You’re not a kid. Nyx is just a guy. An incredibly attractive guy, sure, but just a guy that you need to treat like any other soldier._

 _He_ works _for you. You have to get this crush under control._

 _Get it together_.

Noct takes a deep breath and fixes his eyes resolutely ahead as he starts to eat his fries. If he pretends Nyx doesn't exist then he can't possibly make a fool of himself.

Prompto’s frowns at him and with just a little mounting horror Noct watches the blond cast his eyes either side of them, gaze catching on Nyx as face lighting up with glee when it sinks in.

“Huh,” Prompto says quietly.

Noct thinks that’s the end of it then, _hopes_ that Prompto’s letting him get away with just that brief indication that he’s worked him out but after two bites of his sandwich he smirks and says, “Hey, Ulric.”

Noct can’t _not_ look then so he turns in time to see Nyx half smirks and say, “What’s up Argentum?”

“How’s your top mark in the range holding up?” Prompto asks.

Nyx looks at _him_ when he answers, “It’s not holding up at all. As you rightly know.”

Prompto laughs heartily and Noct watches Nyx’s smile turn to something softer, almost fond before he mutters, “You little shit.”

Prom’s still laughing when he turns back to his sandwich but Noct just can’t look away from Nyx’s face. There’s a tattoo under his eye, just a dot and a short line, with a little symbol reminiscent of a bird track on the opposite his cheek. Noct wonders how much they hurt, what they _mean_ , how Nyx felt when he got them.

Prompto kicks him under the table and Noct jumps, turning back to his food and shoving a rapidly cooling fry into his mouth. Prompto looks smug for some dumb reason so Noct kicks him back. It’s not like he’s doing anything about _his_ crush either. Even though Prompto totally can. Now weird power dynamic there just two awkward idiots trying to to stare at each other.

Noct glances at Nyx out of the corner of his eye and the handsome line of his profile distracts Noct into jabbing himself harshly in the corner of his mouth with an overcooked fry.

And Noct’s day just keeps getting worse and worse because at that moment Prompto's laugh is cut through by Noct's phone _noisily_ bursting out the _King’s Knight_ alert tone so obnoxiously loud that _every single_ person in the cafeteria can hear.

His shame is undercut by surprise though when he realises that the chime is echoed not from Prompto's phone as he'd though but from the Glaive sat just off to his right.

“ _You_ play _King’s Knight_?” Noct blurts, questioning Nyx.

Nyx raises his eyebrows, “What? You think I’m too old?”

“No,” Noct hastens to answer, “You’re not old at all, I just -”

Noct’s all red again and he _hates_ it. He’s had complete control over his face since he was about thirteen and yet here he he is, flushing up like a school girl whenever Nyx gets within five feet of him.

He wishes they’d never talked in the training hall. Wishes he hadn’t known that Nyx was kind and _funny_ as well as drop dead gorgeous because then his crush would still be a formless passing fancy he could ignore.

“I’m teasing,” Nyx reassures him.

“Right.”

“You should join our party sometime,” Prompto says because he is both a blessing _and_ a curse to Noct’s very existence.

\- - -

Don’t ask Nyx how he got a cat.

Because he certainly didn't _choose_ to get a cat. But now he has one and he loves the little git more than he likes to admit which is why he is now _kind of_ panicking because it’s seven o’clock and Dusk isn’t meowing impatiently for his dinner. He’s not even inside the apartment for all that Nyx can work out.

Nyx knows he’s a _cat_ and that they wander and he shouldn’t worry but Dusk never goes far - because he’s a _coward_ \- and he has never once in his short little life missed a meal time.

Nyx shouldn’t go out and look for him. That would be too much.

But he does.

Thankfully it doesn’t take him long to find him but what Nyx sees almost makes him turn and flee back up the stairs to his apartment.

Because Dusk is just across the road from his apartment, sat on a bench wedge next to a struggling tree and crammed between a terrible noodle bar and a print shop.

Dusk is not alone, however.

Dusk presses his front feet to the _Prince of Lucis_ ’ thigh as he stretches up to nibble at the morsel of meat held between two finger tips. Noctis places the cardboard container for his sandwich onto the bench next to his hip and uses the now free hand to stroke down Dusk’s spine. The little bastard climbs completely into his lap and Nyx can’t _hear_ him meow over the people milling about and the cars driving passed but he can almost see it.

Noctis reaches into his sandwich again and Dusk gets another morsel, wiggling happily on his new perch.

Nyx squares his shoulders and uses the next available gap in traffic to cross the road.

“There you are, Dusk,” Nyx says when he’s just a couple feet away.

His cat looks up at him and gives a loud meow before turning away from him and curling up in Noctis’ lap and hiding his face under one of his grey paws.

Little traitor.

“Hi,” Noctis says to him, obviously a little startled, “What are you -”

“That’s my cat,” Nyx says, “He gets fed, I promise.”

“Oh, yeah - I didn’t think -” Noctis clears his throat and his eyes flit away from Nyx’s before meeting them again.

Gods he’s fucking pretty. Handsome. Cute. All of the above.

Nyx wants to just wrap him up in his arms and -

Something. He wants to do _something_.

But Nyx knows he _can't_.

“He’s really cute,” Noctis says, “Did you say his name was Dusk?”

Nyx nods and then bites the bullet, taking a seat next to him on the bench. Nyx reaches into Noct’s lap to stroke his wayward pet and Dusk begrudgingly shifts about enough so that Nyx can scratch his chin.

“He’s not - did you name him after the _Dark Brethren_ character?”

“Uh,” Nyx hesitates because he’s dumbfounded to know that Noctis has not only watched such a niche movie but was able to pick out the white marks on Dusk’s face - identical to his name sake.

“Yeah he is,” Nyx says, “You like that movie?”

“Prom showed it to me,” Noct says nodding, “But I ended up liking it more than he does.”

Nyx smiles and the mention of Noct’s blondest friend seems to help Nyx realise that Noct is out here all alone, miles away from the Citadel and his apartment building. Which is definitely against protocol.

“Prom’s in the print shop,” Noct tells him like he’s read his mind and sure enough when Nyx glances over his shoulder he can see a familiar mop of yellow hair bouncing around excitedly as he talks to the shop owner.

“I really like your cat,” Noct says then suddenly, “I mean - all cats. But I’ve seen him before, I always feed him. I hope you don’t mind.”

Nyx probably should mind but he finds he doesn’t care one little bit.

What's a few extra mouthfuls of ham if they make Noctis happy.

“Nah,” Nyx says, “Looks like he likes you too.”

Their eyes meet and Nyx is drawn into the blueness of Noctis’ gaze, the creeping hint of grey around the edges, they way they’re warm even though the colour could be described at icy.

“Hey,” Nyx says, mouth speaking before his mind can tell him its a bad idea, “Do you think we could -”

“Noct, Noct, you won’t believe - uh, oh. Hey, Nyx, what are you doing here?”

Noctis turns away from his abruptly and it must jostle Dusk because he leaps from his lap with an irritated meow before curling up on top of Nyx’s shoe to chew his shoe laces.

Nyx looks up at Prompto where he’s just appeared next to them, envelope of printed photographs - presumably - clutched in his hand.

“I live here,” he says to Prompto gesturing at the apartment block.

“Oh,” Prompto says.

Noctis stands abruptly, “It’s his cat,” he tells his friend.

“Oh,” Prompto says again, but more cheerfully, “You didn’t strike me as a cat guy.”

“Bet there’s loads you don’t know about me,” Nyx says and Noctis looks at him briefly before turning away again.

“We better go,” the prince says, “Before Iggy freaks out.”

Prompto glances at his watch and his eyes widen, “Oh man, I promised we wouldn’t be late. Shit.”

Prompto grabs hold of Noctis wrist and starts to tug him away saying, almost frantically, “By Nyx, see you at work”

Noctis doesn’t say anything but he does shoot him one last look over his shoulder, hand raised in a wave.

They’re both gone, disappeared before Nyx can do more than wave back, let alone let Noctis know that he left his sandwich behind.

Dusk puts his front paws up on the bench and sniffs eagerly at the package before meowing at Nyx and fixing him with perfect I’ve-never-been-fed eyes.

“No,” Nyx tells the little rascal, scooping him up to carry him home.

\- - -

“I’m telling you,” Prompto promises him, “Nyx _likes_ you.”

Noct had finally given in and told Prompto about his crush. Not that Prompto hadn’t been able to spot it a mile off but there’s was something about saying it out loud that made it more real.

Unfortunately it seems to have given Prompto permission to talk about it. A lot.

“Sure,” Noct says, “Because you’re really good at telling when people like each other.”

Prompto glares at him, which is about as threatening as Nyx’s cat had been chewing his owner’s shoelaces.

“You can’t see the dopey way he looks at you because you’re too busy getting lost in his _dreamy_ eyes,” Prompto says pulling his hands together under his chin and batting his eyelashes.

“Shut up,” Noct snaps.

Their conversation is put on hold then so they can step up to the counter to put in their pizza order.

“Hey,” Noct says to the bored teen behind the counter, “So can we have a double meat supreme but swap out the green peppers for extra onions and the chicken for ground -”

“You called this in,” the teen says boredom clear, “It’ll still be ten minutes.”

“Um,” Noct says, “No?”

Noct turns to look at Prompto but he just shakes his head and says, “Not me, dude.”

“You didn’t order over the phone?”

“No,” Noct confirms, “So - swap the chicken for ground beef?”

The teen nods, looking just a _little_ embarrassed and squeaks, “Anything else?”

“Yeah - uh, the garden pizza for this weirdo but with added jalapenos.”

“Oh yeah, _I’m_ weird,” Prompto mutters as Noct pays for their pizzas, “Not double onion all red meat guy.”

“That pizza has pineapple on it,” Noct says flatly, “You’re weird.”

“You suck,” Prompto mutters.

They move to stand off to one side while they wait for their order, falling into an easy conversation about Prompto’s Crownsguard training. He’s nearly done now and soon he’ll have to pick out his uniform and somehow Prompto’s almost more nervous about that than he is the whole being a bodyguard thing.

The door opens and closes but Noct doesn’t pay any attention, too busy helping Prompto craft an email to Ignis to ask if the patches he picked out for his jacket will pass muster. One of them literally has the word _fuck_ on it so Noct’s pretty sure the answer is no but stranger things have happened.

“Can I help?” Noct hears the server ask.

“Yeah I phoned in an order for double meat supreme -”

And holy shit Noct knows that voice. He’s been _thinking_ about that voice.

“- no peppers, extra onions and beef for chicken,” she finishes, “Just boxing it up now.”

“Thanks,” Nyx tells her and takes a step back so someone else can take his place.

Prompto jabs him sharply in the gut with his elbow.

“Ow,” Noct hisses.

Nyx turns sharply to look at them.

“Hey,” Nyx says, obviously surprised - but Noct thinks he’s _pleased_ too.

“Hi,” Noct manages shyly.

Prompto’s grinning like his greatest dream has just come true.

“This seems far out for you guys,” Nyx says.

“Yeah,” Noct agrees. They’d started coming after school back in the day - halfway between campus and Prompto’s apartment - and just never shook the habit.

“The only place that does Noct’s gross order,” Prompto puts in, “Which you share, by the way.”

Nyx grins and gives a short laugh, “You don’t say.”

Noct can only stare at him, dressed down in dark jeans and an unzipped grey hoody over a white t-shirt. Nyx’s uniform is _sublime_ but Noct likes this too, likes seeing Nyx as a normal man, out and about in the real world.

Prompto elbows him again and Noct turns, slapping his arm away on instinct.

Prompto gives him a _look_ , eyes widening pointedly and jerks his head towards Nyx.

Noct turns back around. Opens his mouth to speak and -

Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

But Nyx’s smile only grows.

Noct doesn’t know if Prompto’s right and Nyx _likes_ him but he certainly acts like he does. Maybe a little at least - no one apart from his closest friends ever keeps eye contact with him this long normally.

“So, what are -”

“Altered double meat supreme up.”

Nyx’s face falters for a second and turns to collect the box, shoving a handful of notes into the tip jar before coming back over to them.

“You need me to wait and give you a ride home?” Nyx offers, eyes darting briefly to Prompto but mostly lingering on Noct’s face.

“I have my car,” Noct says regretfully.

Perhaps in the course of a car ride Noct would manage to say something not completely embarrassing. Or literally anything at all.

“Next time,” Nyx promises.

There’s a beat of silence, but its not _as_ awkward as Noct might have feared.

“I’ll see you soon?” Noct asks hopefully before realising how dumb that is, “Obviously, like - at the Citadel and whatever.”

Nyx smirks, “Soon, yeah.”

As he leaves he shifts his pizza box to one hand so he can touch Noct’s arm on the way past them.

“Holy shit,” Noct whispers to Prompto when its just the two of them - plus all the other customers.

“Dude,” Prompto laughs, “You’ve got it bad.”

“What am I gonna _do_?” Noct whines.

Prompto sighs, “Follow the advice you keep giving me and _be brave_ I guess.”

\- - -

Libertus responds to his invitation with a point blank _fuck off_ but Nyx can always rely on Crowe if there’s a promise of free beer and decent music.

The _best_ music, in Nyx’s opinion, is happening tonight in a little dive bar off the Galahdian quarter. _Cataclysm_ has been Nyx’s favourite band since he was old enough to have a favourite band - all Galahdian members with traditional flutes and strings mixed into their heavy pounding bass.

Crowe’s not _as_ into them as he is so Nyx orders four beers and lines up three in front of her before tossing back his shot as the last openers file off the stage.

Crowe holds one out and Nyx clinks his bottle against hers.

The crowd _screams_ for the guy just trying to do a sound check and Nyx turns to Crowe to share in the hilarity of the poor guy’s expression when he spots them.

Spots _him_.

Noctis is leading the way, hand wrapped tightly around his blond friend’s wrist as he leads them straight into the crowd. Nyx just manages to take in the image of him in tight _tight_ black jeans all torn to hell and a faded _Cataclysm_ t-shirt before they disappear behind the mass of bodies.

Nyx hears Crowe laugh but he ignores her.

He scans the crowd and - yes, there’s a tuft of yellow hair, but it vanishes as quickly as it came.

Everywhere he goes he keeps running into Noctis. Running into him and finding out there may actually be some _substance_ behind the way his heart beats a little fast when he’s close and his smile comes too easy when Noctis talks.

It's a fools fancy, perhaps. But it's there.

The band comes out and Nyx is distracted by the swell of music, the familiar rhythm that seems to beat in tune with his own heart.

Half the set passes before Nyx finds them again. A small gap in the crowd forms, allowing him to see almost all the way to the front, where Noctis and Prompto bounce along to the music, faces flushed. Noctis’ hair fraying out of its perfects style as his gel loses it’s battle with the humid air around them.

He looks beautiful.

Nyx has never seen him look so _carefree_. Not even when he’s shooting the shit with Prompto in the cafeteria or in the gardens. Not when he’s sparring with his retinue and his movements look nothing but smooth and effortless - instinctive.

Crowe slaps him around the back of the head - a little harsh in Nyx’s opinion. Completely unnecessary.

“What?” he grumbles just loud enough to be heard.

“You gotta stop mooning over the pretty boy,” Crowe says blandly.

“I’m not -”

“You _are_. And its annoying. Shoot your shot or I’ll have to do it for you,” Crowe tells him, flagging down the bartender again.

She orders two more beers and another whiskey, scooting the shot his way with a smirk but keeping the beers for herself.

“Lover-boy’s tab,” she tells the bartender, pointing at Nyx.

Nyx picks up the shot but doesn’t drink it.

“He’s the prince,” Nyx reminds her.

She shrugs, “So?”

“He’s the _Prince_ ,” Nyx repeats because he thinks it’s fairly self explanatory.

Crowe shrugs again.

“I’m not telling you to marry him,” she says, “But you’ll never know if you don’t try.”

Nyx _wants_ to try but there’s no way he can have _anything_ with Noctis. No way.

No matter how much he’d like it to be otherwise.

The crowd has swallowed the duo again so Nyx is left with nothing to distract him from the music other than his own racing thoughts.

Yes. No. Do it. Don’t do it. Go and talk to him - go and _listen_ with him, _move_ with him.Stay where you are.

Frustrated with himself Nyx tosses back his whiskey knowing that'll be enough for him.

By the time the show is winding down Crowe’s attention has been caught by a pretty girl with a close crop of dark curls and when she catches him looking at her she throws him a wink and points deliberately into the crowd.

They appear then, bursting out of the heave of bodies, both in a fit of breathless laughter. Prompto brushes back his hair and Noct fans the fabric of his t-shirt and Nyx tries not to stare at the way it clings to the prince’s lithe frame.

Prompto spots him first, eyes widening in recognition and then grinning broadly as he waves.

Nyx waves back, breathing deep to keep himself calm when Noct turns in the direction of his friend’s gaze.

To his surprise it’s Noctis that walks up to him, Prompto trailing close behind.

“Hey,” Noctis says breathlessly.

“Hey, yourself,” Nyx says softly, “How do you guys know about _Cataclysm_?”

“They did a song for the _Astrals and Elementals_ RPG,” Noctis tells him, “It’s a game me and Prom played the shit out of it when we were like, what -” he turns to his friend, “Sixteen.”

“About that,” Prompto agrees nodding.

Nyx nods too, though he never played it. It’s not like with _King’s Knight_ where he can carry it around in his pocket and dip and and out when he fancies, he’s never found much time to devote to video games apart from that.

Kind of regrets it now.

“The song _banged_ so we looked up more of their stuff and we’ve been hooked ever since,” Noctis finishes explaining.

“Did they play it tonight?” Nyx asks and Noctis shakes his head.

“Nah, but I could play it for you sometime,” Noctis offers biting his lip.

Nyx stares at it for a beat too long and then looks away when he realises, clearing his throat awkwardly.

Prompto jabs Noctis lightly in the arm they share a look. Noctis takes a deep breath and meets Nyx’s eye. It’s impossible to tell in the dim light if the colour on his cheeks is left over from his previous excursion or from something _new_.

“Or I could send it to you, if you gave me your number,” Noctis says, chewing nervously at his bottom lip when he’s done.

“Yeah? I could do that,” Nyx tells him, offering him a small smile.

Noctis’ face breaks into obvious relief, the kind of smile Nyx rarely gets to see him wear.

“Cool,” Noct says and then he rolls his eyes ducking his head.

“I’m uh -” Prompto says looking around, “Bathroom. I gotta use the bathroom. Stay here, okay?”

Noctis nods at him and as soon as Prompto slips away he slides up closer to Nyx, standing just shy of the bar.

“Hi,” Noct says shyly.

“Noctis,” Nyx breathes, “I wanted to -”

“Look,” Noctis interrupts, visibly steeling his shoulders, “I don’t know how much I can offer, y’know, because of who I am?”

Nyx nods. _He knows_.

“But I know that I like - like talking to you. And we seem to have a lot in common and stuff so I -”

Nyx raises his hand but stops with it an inch from Noctis’ face, unsure and the prince encircles his wrist to closes the distance himself, pressing his cheek into Nyx’s palm.

“I would like to get to know you better,” Nyx tells him, “At least. See if all this -” he gestures between them and Noctis smiles, “If it means anything. If it _can_ mean anything.”

“Yeah,” Noctis agrees, “Yeah, that sounds good.”

Nyx wants to tug him closer that last distance and learn what it feels like to kiss him but he refrains, sensing that Noctis is only one sudden move away from bolting right out of his grasp.

“So, uh - first step to getting to know each other better,” Noctis says.

“Hmm?”

“Call me Noct.”

**Author's Note:**

> Prompto: walks right past bathroom to stand outside, waiting fifteen minutes before texting Noct take your time  
> If you enjoyed baby's first NyxNoct come yell with me about them on Twitter @Ginger_El_


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